How Non-traditional Students Can Increase Enrollment for Colleges and Universities

How Non-traditional Students Can Increase Enrollment for Colleges and Universities

Hunter Gatling

College of Adult and Professional Studies, Charleston Southern University

MSOM 600: Graduate Writing and Research

Professor David Britt

           Teenagers fresh out of high school are no longer the only ones seeking an education on the college level. Granted, they may make up much of the overall student body, but they are what college and universities should refer to as “traditional students”. Many working adults who have families and professional lives are looking to return to college to gain new skills and education. College and universities should refer to these individuals as “non-traditional students”. The non-traditional students looking to gain new skills are crucial to colleges and universities looking to increase their enrollment.

           This paper will propose concepts and strategies for colleges and universities to create more flexibility to accommodate the busy lives of non-traditional students and increase enrollment as a result. Distinguishing traditional students from non-traditional students helps provide a pathway to understanding how to reach this crucial enrollment target.

Adult Student Overview

Who are the “non-traditional students” and how are they different from “traditional students? This question can be answered by first defining the “traditional student”. Traditional students are the ones who follow in the footsteps of their parents, who are also educated on the university level, and are enrolled full time (Bye et al.,2007). Non-traditional student can be defined by meeting several different types of criteria. Most notably, non-traditional students are usually older in age than their traditional student counterparts and are typically working adults. Age is almost always followed by things like a family and a professional or working life. Those aspects of a non-traditional student are arguably the biggest difference from a traditional student, and they also present the biggest challenge when a working adult, with a family, elects to return to school.  First generation college students also fall into the non-traditional student category, as they are not following anybody’s footsteps, so there is not exactly an example to follow.

Motivations for Returning to School

           Adult students, or non-traditional students, choose to return to college for a bevy of reasons. Career growth or change, setting an example for younger generations, and financial gain are among the top motivations to return to school. Many people find themselves in a stagnant place in their job with no hope of moving up. Others want to demonstrate to their families and their children that they can achieve higher education and want to set a new standard. And many working adults enroll in school to achieve higher financial earnings, as non-college graduates have fewer job opportunities than those who hold a degree.

Career Growth or Change

           David Hutter, a journalist for an online newsletter called “NJBIZ” in New Jersey, wrote a story on two working adults with families who returned to college after spending several years as working professionals. One of the subjects of the article, named Mark Pereira, had previously graduated from college with an international business degree but enrolled at William Paterson University after considering a career in broadcast or sports for a long time (Hutter, 2016). This decision came after the birth of his son and after a stint with T-Mobile in the sales sector. Wanting to change careers and needing to attain new skills, Mark returned to college to pursue a career that he could enjoy and provide for his loved ones. And he is on the growing list of professionals who are returning to school mid-career (Hutter, 2016). Mark is an example of a non-traditional student who was not necessarily new to the college experience but wanted to change the path that he was on and needed to gain new skills to do so. Even if it is not out of necessity, working adults are willing to return to college to get into a new career.

 Setting An Example for Children and Younger Generations

           NPR’s Lulu Garcia-Navarro conducted an interview with Michaela LeCompte, a single mother of three, who went back to school and completed her degree. LeCompte was a first-generation college student and had previously tried to get her degree 2 other times prior to having her 3 children. She credits her success in college the third time around to her children because “setting that example was more important”. This interview of a twenty-nine-year-old single mother of 3 is a great example of a working adult wanting to set an example for children and raise the standard that the previous generation of her family did not set. If Michaela LeCompte was able to achieve the goal of getting a college degree, then her children would more than likely do so. But LeCompte did not just use her own children as an example of motivation to return to college. She mentions her sister, who is a first grade teacher at a Title 1 school, uses her college degree as an example to her students that they can achieve great things despite the challenging circumstances. Many children come from poor backgrounds, are minorities, and have parents that are not highly educated. These are all factors that can discourage young people from achieving high goals, or evening pursuing them. Having parents or adults as a role model to set an example and raise the standards are motivating factors for people to return to school in pursuit of higher education.

Financial Gain

           There is an advantage to having a college degree as opposed to only having a high school diploma. The disparity between college graduates and high school graduates has become a source of frustration for millions of Americans (Rugaber, 2017). According to the Economic Policy Institute, college graduates earned 56 percent more than high school graduates in 2015 (Rugaber, 2017). Based on that number alone, it is safe to say that people who hold a college degree tend to see more financial success than those who do not have a degree. Many working adults come realize this when they are in the work force and find themselves in a stagnant financial position. Money can be driving factor for a working adult to enroll in college. Especially someone that has a family to provide for. Supporting a family is very difficult to do when the income is low. Moreover, not only does a lack of higher education potentially hinder higher earnings, but it increases the chances of families and individuals to be on public assistance programs such as food stamps and housing assistance. College attainment leads to lower levels of public assistance (Trostel, 2010). From a number’s perspective, a bachelor’s degree reduces food stamp receipts by $7,100, children’s lunches by $2,400, public cash assistance by $1,500, energy assistance by $400, housing subsidies by $300, and Medicaid by $23,000 (Trostel, 2010). What this data indicates is that higher earnings aside, people who have at least a bachelor's degree have already separated themselves from potential poverty, and the likelihood of dependence on public assistance programs is increased by only having a high school diploma.

Challenges and Issues Faced by Adult Students

           Enrolling in college as a working adult does not come without challenges. Non-traditional students come across challenges those traditional students do not even have to think about. Financial aid and tuition, balancing school with a family, being a first-generation college student, and struggling to understand and keep up with new technology are among the some of the biggest challenges that non-traditional students are faced with. These challenges can be factors that could dictate whether a student completes their degree or not. Degree completion can take a toll on the adult student and their families due to the time that is required to focus on studies, and the time that is required to fulfill all the other obligations of an adult student. Traditional colleges may not be designed to accommodate the needs of adult students with families (Spellman, 2007).

Financial Aid and Tuition

           College tuition is on the rise and student loan debt is at an all-time high. This debt can be a serious burden on all college students and graduates alike. If traditional students struggle with the rise of college costs and the student debt that is often associated with it, then it is an obstacle that non-traditional students must consider when enrolling in college. For adult students with families and other financial obligations, the cost of college is especially challenging. This factor alone makes the decision to enroll in college even more crucial. Convincing an 18-year-old to enroll full-time as a college student is much different than convincing a 35-year-old worker needing to gain new skills (Dynarski & Clayton, 2013). Since the Higher Education Act of 1965, multiple forms of aid have been made available to traditional students, part time students, older students, and even students who never graduated high school (Dynarski & Clayton, 2013). Student aid can come in the form of tax credits, grants, and subsidized loans (Dynarski & Clayton, 2013). While these forms of aid can be beneficial, grants and tax credits do not always cover the full cost of tuition. Students often pay for school using a combination of grants, credits, and loans. However, many students look to avoid loans to minimize debt. Loan aversion can be beneficial and challenging. In choosing to not use the loans as a resource, it could force adult students to work more hours, enroll part-time, and delay graduation. At the same time, debt after graduation could be non-factor.

Balancing School and Family

           Taking on college courses while fulfilling obligations to a family is arguably the biggest factor when it comes to non-traditional student enrollment. It was stated earlier that it is very beneficial for an individual to attain a college degree, especially those who have families, because of the potential financial earnings and precedence that it sets. However, as the old saying goes, easier said than done. Balancing family and school is a big ask. A study was conducted in 1995 in which non-traditional students were asked a variety of questions regarding their stress and conflict issues when it came to balancing school and all their other obligations. The study did confirm that students encountered stress and conflict when it came to the balancing act because of being adult students (Giggliotti & Huff, 1995). An example of one of the study’s questions was how often did the student have to put off studying and attending class to fulfill other obligations? (Giggliotti & Huff, 1995). Missing out on tasks such as class or studying can negatively affect a student's performance. Bad performance can obviously add to the stress of the ordeal and create yet another obstacle that comes between the student and a degree.

First Generation College Student

           When this paper differentiated non-traditional students from traditional students, it was stated that traditional students follow in the footsteps of their parents, who tend to be educated on the college or university level (Bye et al.,2007). First generation college students fall into the non-traditional category since they face challenges that traditional students do not. Traditional students tend to have guidance from family members that have experience on the college education level. First generation students do not have that luxury. Not only is higher education new to them, but it is new to their loved ones as well. First generation students, along with minorities, contribute significantly to the rate of attrition in colleges (Ishitani, 2006). When there is little guidance from family, it is very difficult to navigate through the trials and tribulations that higher education presents. Since there is no standard set and no example to follow, the risk of not completing a degree is significantly increased. Another layer to the issue can be a family’s hesitancy about their loved one attending college. Some families become concerned that higher education affects ties with the rest of the community (Delong, 2003). Having a family that is not fully onboard with the idea of their loved one pursuing higher education is a factor that can discourage a first-generation student.

 Using Modern Technology

           Young students and young people in general view technology to work smarter and not harder. Technology can make a difficult task go a lot smoother. It can create flexibility for both work and an educational environment. However, if someone is from an older generation, the situation can be the total opposite. Learning new information in college can already be difficult. Couple that with learning to use the technology in which that information is conveyed. That is a challenge that older students are faced with. Colleges and universities are becoming more and more reliant on technology to help teach and educate. In a study conducted by the Computer Systems and Language Department, older adults were introduced to computer mapping systems. When the study had concluded, many of the adults had trouble with the double click action (Calvo et al.,2017). While this study is not affiliated with any university research, it is good example of how difficult learning and navigating through technology can be. Even with the simplest of tasks. If non-traditional students are going to choose the route of online learning because of its convenience, then they need to embrace educational technology. Low technology efficacy could lead to negative effects of online learning for non-traditional students (Cherrstrom et al.,2019).

                                    Proposed Solutions to Adult Student Challenges

           The challenges and obstacles that non-traditional students face may be difficult, and many will be discouraged by these challenges. However, there are solutions and ways for colleges and universities to accommodate the needs of non-traditional students. Having financial aid programs set aside exclusively for qualifying non-traditional students can help with the cost of tuition that burdens many students. Creating more virtual and online classes can be especially helpful for students that have families and obligations that require most of their time and can give them the flexibility needed to balance their lives. Setting aside programs and staff that will guide first generation students can help with the struggles and levels of attrition associated with that non-traditional student demographic. College and universities also need to do more to guide and educate students that struggle with new and advancing technology and ensure that those students can learn effectively through that technology.

Financial Aid Eligibility and Scholarships for Non-traditional Students

           Tuition and financial aid eligibility are yet another aspect that differentiates traditional students from non-traditional students. Traditional students, particularly young adults who go straight to college out of high school, are allotted financial aid if they are a dependent from a family that makes $50,000 or less annually (Dubnicki, 2014). The Higher Education Act of 1965 made it very beneficial for students to be a dependent as opposed to someone who has dependents. Working adults, who are typically no longer dependents of their parents, have a much harder time qualifying for federal student aid. Is it possible to call on the federal government to revise that policy and make aid and grants more attainable for adult students? Nothing is impossible. However, depending on the federal government to come through and incentive working adults to return to college could create more problems instead of being a potential solution. Instead, it is up to colleges and universities to make the necessary accommodations. Colleges and universities give scholarships to high achieving students coming out of high school, to state the obvious. These are typically the traditional students. Non-traditional students make up 75% of college attendees in the United States, yet very few are awarded scholarships (PR Newswire, 2012).

           An example of a scholarship for non-traditional students would be the Mary Cone Barrie Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to two non-traditional students in the United States and Canada (PR Newswire, 2012). It is provided by Destiny Solutions, and it is named after “the late Director of the School of Continuing Studies at the University of Toronto, Dr. Mary Cone Barrie” (PR Newswire, 2012). Obviously, students must apply, and it is only given to qualified students, but more opportunities such as this should be provided more often by colleges and universities. Being a non-traditional student does not entitle anyone to a scholarship, but more needs to be done by college faculty recognize the qualifications of some non-traditional students.

Virtual Courses and Online School for Adult Students with Families and Jobs

           Many adult students are in a balancing act with school responsibilities and obligations to a family and job. Many students are unable to attend classes on campus or in person. Colleges and universities who only mostly provide in person lecture and in person courses are making it difficult for themselves to target the adult-student demographic. Online learning provides the ultimate flexibility for adult students who have other responsibilities and obligations outside of their studies. Non-traditional students are the perfect target for online programs because of the constraints they face with work and family (Harris & McCloud, 2015). With today’s technology and technical flexibility, it is unreasonable that institutions of higher learning would not take full advantage of virtual and online learning and make it a major part of their marketing strategies when recruiting new students.

           Flexibility is not the only factor at play when it comes to online learning. Accelerated courses can be very intriguing for adult students who do not wish to spend 4 or 5 years in school. In an article from Composition Studies, one of the authors of the article talked about her online learning experience and how the accelerated courses shrank her degree timeline from 6 or 7 years to only 3 ? years (Harris & Mcloud, 2015). These types of programs can turn working adults to potential adult students. Informing someone with a family, who desires a degree, that they can not only complete a degree online, but in half the time as well is a major recruiting tool.

Guidance Programs for First Generation Students

           First generation students are at major disadvantages and without luxuries that traditional students often enjoy. One of the biggest disadvantages being that they have no example to follow. Being first generation students, especially adult students who are first generation, not only is higher education new to them, but it is new to their families as well. As stated in the challenges portion of this paper, first generation students have higher rates of attrition. Social and academic transitions are factors attributed to the high rates of attrition. Unlike financial aid and assistance, no scholarship or amount of money can help with the challenge of being a first-generation student. Colleges and universities alike must make the necessary accommodations to ensure the success of as many first-generation students as possible. In doing so, they can help those breakthrough barriers and set the example for their families. First generation college students can often feel as if they are going about higher education alone, and their confidence is shaken because of it. Without the necessary accommodations, the high levels of attrition amongst this demographic of non-traditional students will only continue.

           In the modern college world, colleges, small and large, have many resources available to them, and they make many of those resources available to their students. Anyone who has ever attended college as a freshman can recall their university 101 course. These courses are designed and implemented with the intention of guiding freshman as they make the transition from high school to college. The exact same concept can be applied to first generation college students. Colleges and universities can create a course-like program exclusively for first generation students, and the students can have the option of staying in the course throughout their time at that institution. The reason for the phrase “course-like” is because the course does not necessarily have to be a pass or fail type class, but rather an opportunity for first-generation students to connect with other students in a similar situation and help guide each other through their trials and tribulations of school. For freshmen it can be required, as that is arguably the most crucial time and transition.

Training For Online Course Learning

           Computer Science is a popular course among undergraduate students. It can be very beneficial in learning about technology and how it continuously evolves year to year. However, many non-traditional students are much older than their traditional student peers, and many have a difficult time keeping up with technology, of which colleges and universities rely heavily on. The potential solution for enrollment of adult students with families is to offer more virtual learning and online courses to create flexibility with time efficient completion rates. And since many older students might struggle with technology, online learning could create problems in an attempt to create solutions. However, colleges can combat those potential problems by offering technology learning courses to students who might struggle to keep up with ever advancing technology. Much like the proposed course for first generation students, this technology course does not have to be a pass or fail type system. Rather, the course can be an opportunity for students to ask questions and get tutorials for navigating through online classes. The staff in charge of teaching these courses should be qualified professors with extensive knowledge of all the technology being used by the university and by the students.

Implementation of Solutions

The proposed solutions to the challenges are great ideas in theory. But implementing these ideas is ever so crucial to the success of colleges and universities increasing their enrollment. The solutions that have been proposed can be implemented and achieved by colleges and universities without a lot help from outside sources. That is the most important part. Colleges and universities already possess the necessary tools and resources to make these ideas come fruition. These solutions, once implemented, can also improve over time as colleges and universities can experiment and see the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of their programs or solutions.

Implementation Strategy for Financial Aid for Adult Students

           In December of 2010, the Marchman Technical Education Center announced that it would be providing up to $2,500 in aid for individuals seeking certification in auto collision repair (Solochek, 2010). Marchman’s motivation behind granting this aid was the need to help with the unemployment rate of Pasco County, which was 13% at the time. The Marchman Technical Education Center’s research indicated the enrollment of technical institutions increases 40% when aid was available (Solochek, 2010). Though the grants were provided through Marchman, the students applied through FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This is an example of a technical institute utilizing the federal grants to help adult students, and colleges and universities can use the same strategy. Provide student aid to qualified adult students through federal grants. These grants may not be huge amounts of money, but enough to help adult students get started. If, and when, a student can get into school, prove themselves as a good and capable student that excels, that student could then have the opportunity to receive a scholarship from the college and university that they are attending.

            Scholarships could be more of a challenge simply because more money is required. However, if enough money is set aside for qualified adult students to attend school for the full extent of their degree program, then that will incentivize adult students to enroll and put their best foot forwardf as students. The scholarships that could be given to non-traditional students could be the same scholarships that are given to traditional students, except for qualifications and standards. Non-traditional students apply through FAFSA for a grant, and if they qualify, the college or university in which they intend to enroll provides the federal aid for up to two semesters. These two semesters serve as proving grounds for students as they attend courses, make the necessary grades, and then be presented with the opportunity to apply for a scholarship. If the adult students meet the qualifications and standards set by that college or university, then they receive a scholarship that covers the cost of courses. The key to this strategy is colleges and universities willingness to provide and set aside the same scholarships for non-traditional students that they do for traditional students. The difference being that the cost only covers the course fees themselves, so no student housing or meal plans are necessary in those scholarships, and the non-traditional students must prove themselves as capable students first before receiving a scholarship.

Colleges Going Online and Virtual

           The advancement of technology and computers only makes virtual learning even more convenient. In fact, it creates the prefect opportunity for colleges and universities to appeal to the working adult and family demographic using tools that are already available and used by institutions of higher education. Many colleges and universities use platforms such as Blackboard, Moodle, and Canvas for online content documents, lectures, grades, and assignments. Much of the information that students who attend class in person receive is provided by platforms such as the ones mentioned above. These types of online platforms that most colleges and universities now use should also be used exclusively for virtual learning for non-traditional students unable to attend in person lecture and classes. By offering courses and degree programs exclusively online using the platforms, colleges and universities can really entice and create a convenient incentive for working adults to enroll.

           Colleges and Universities that offer online programs can also hire staff that are specifically assigned to work and teach the online courses. The use of adjunct professors would be especially beneficial for this. Tenured professors and staff that give in person lectures and classes would not need to be tasked with teaching online as well. Assigning certain members of the college or university faculty would also create departments exclusively dedicated to guiding online students. This would be just as beneficial for non-traditional students as it would be for the college or university.

Guidance and Programs Exclusively for First Generation Students

           The first step to establishing guidance for first generation college students is communicating with them and finding out more about each student as individuals. James Madison University offered the opportunity for first generation college students to complete surveys and questionnaires upon arriving to school (Ward et al., 2012). Through these surveys and questionnaires, JMU was able to gather information and data about first generation students and use that data and information to help improve their systems and the experiences of first generations students. Following this model, college and universities can vastly improve the student life and experience of first-generation students. Asking those students questions through surveys and questionnaires allows institutions to know the needs and expectations of first generations students.

           Given the extreme challenges that first generation students face, it is important that colleges and universities provide a department or multiple departments with staff that are tasked with the guidance and success of first generations students exclusively. These departments and staff can provide services such as tutoring, advisement, study halls, and other academic needs. Departments and organizations such as these could also provide an outlet that could serve as a community. Academics are not the only challenges first-generation students face. The social aspect plays a crucial role in the success of first-generation students as well. Being around other students that deal with similar situations will prove to be very beneficial and creating an environment such as this could help with the success rate of first-generation students. While there is no substitute for family, the guidance and experience that first-generation student’s family’s lack can be compensated for through community.

Technology Training Courses

           The conveniences and benefits of online programs and virtual learning may help non-traditional students enroll and complete degrees. However, colleges and universities that provide online and virtual learning programs must also provide proper guidance and training for students that struggle with technology and online learning. Colleges and universities can accomplish this by offering technology training courses for enrolled students who have not yet begun class. For example, for students who are set to take classes during a fall semester, the summer months prior to the start of that semester can be spent getting familiar with the institution’s technology, the specific online platforms used by the school, and generally learning to navigate online classes.

           These training courses do not have to count towards a student’s scores or grades, but rather, serve as the opportunity for them to learn the exact technology that will be used to convey the information and course content that they will need for their actual courses. Some of the tools that can be used in these training courses can be videos giving instructions, quizzes that test knowledge and give feedback, submitting assignments, and all other tasks that will be required during the online program.

                                                           Conclusion

The challenges that non-traditional students face are obstacles that can be overcome with the help of colleges and universities. These challenges can be daunting, complicated, and layered with problems. However, the solutions to these challenges do not require a miracle. Colleges and universities already have many of the necessary resources such as technology, flexibility, staff, and financial resources, that are required to implement solutions to the challenges of non-traditional students. It is a matter of colleges and universities having the willingness to accommodate the needs of non-traditional students. Working adults who want to grow in their career, increase their financial gain, or simply set a new family precedent are willing to enroll if institutions of higher learning are willing to meet them halfway. Target the non-traditional student demographics, pinpoint the challenges, create the solutions, implement the solutions, and enrollment will increase as a result.

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